Ash receptacle



Feb. 21, 1950 F. G. JULYAN ETAL ASH RECEPTACLE 3 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 Original Filed Aug. 5, 1940 INT Q QQ w 53 QRQQWS 5% ATTORN EY Feb. 21, 1950 F. G. JULYAN} ETAL ASH RECEPTACLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Aug. 3, 1940 @M Ma BY 4 Mg ATTORNEY Feb. 21, 1950 F. G. JULYAN ET AL ASH RECEPTACLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Aug. 3, 1940 Patented Feb. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ASH RECEPTACLE Original application August 3, 1940, Serial No. 350,500. Divided and this application February 21, 1945, Serial No. 579,102

3 Claims.

This invention relates to stokers and particularly to those made for domestic and analogous uses.

The object of the invention is to provide a domestic type stoker which is simple, easy and inexpensive to make and install, which may be readily assembled in a variety of arrangements with a minimum of changes and extra parts so as to accommodate different installation conditions, which is rugged and durable, which is clean and efiicient in operation and which requires a minimum of attention.

A further object of the invention is to provide an ash can container adapted to receive and retain ashes under impulse from an underneath feed so as to cleanly and compactly accumulate the ashes for removal and disposal of its contents and replacement of the can ready for refilling.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a stoker embodying the various features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the stoker shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the ash disposal unit of the stoker shown in Fig. 1, taken along the axis of the conveyor as indicated by the line I2-I 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the ash disposal unit taken transverse to the conveyor as indicated by the line I3I3 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the ash disposal unit taken as indicated by the line I4--I4 in Fig. 4, with the ash can removed but its position indicated;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the ash can alone, with its ash opening closed; and

Fig. '7 is a plan view of the ash output opening in the conveyor pipe.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the complete stoker consists of a burner unit I, an ash disposal unit 2 and a drive unit 3, as shown, in conjunction with a suitable coal supply or pick-up unit, not shown. The latter preferably consists of a coal collector unit of the type shown and described in William M. Schweickart and Fred G. Julyan Patent No. 2,306,189, issued December 22, 1942, this unit being positioned in the coal bin serving to collect coal and feed it into the bin of the conveyor pipe 4 and is driven from the bin end of the conveyor screw 5.

Conveyor screw 5 operates within a conveyor tube or pipe 4 extending from beneath the burner unit I to the coal collector unit. If necessary, the conveyor 4, 5 may include a suitable knuckle, not shown, to enable the coal to be fed from a 2 bin which is at an angle to the portion of the conveyor 4, 5 adjacent the burner unit.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 showing the ash disposal unit 2, this unit includes a substantially circular ash output opening I06 positioned at the top of the conveyor pipe 4, a substantially circular ash output tube I0'I communicating with the ash output opening I06 and extending vertically above the same a short distance, and an ash can I08 having a substantially circular opening I09 in its bottom IIO, the ash can being positioned with its bottom IIO adjacent the top of the ash output tube I07 with the ash can opening I09 communicating with the top of the ash output tube I0'I.

The ash can I08 rests upon a table-like support III which is secured to the conveyor pipe 4 by the clamp H2. The ash output tube 10'! conveniently is an integral part of the ash can support I I I, the two parts being joined by an annular portion II3 formed with two pockets H4 at opposite sides of the conveyor pipe 4 through the bottom of which extend the clamping bolts I15 engaging the clamping strap I I2.

The ash output tube W1 is provided with two shoulders H6 at opposite sides of the conveyor pipe 4 which fit over the adjacent edge of the ash output opening I06. These shoulders insure the proper positioning of the tube I01 over the ash output opening I06. These shoulders taper in thickness, being a maximum thickness at the two lowermost portions w and x of the ash output opening I06 and tapering to extinction over the two uppermost portions y and z of the ash output opening I06 (see Figs. 3, 4 and 7, the latter being a plan view of the opening I06). It is to be noted that the edge of the ash output opening I06 is substantially radial at every point along its circumference, and that the dimension of the opening I06 transverse to the conveyor pipe 4 is nearly equal to the diameter of the Pipe, with the result that-the edge of the opening I06 at the lowermost portions 10 and. 0: presents a substantial flange for engagement by shoulders I I6 While at the uppermost portions y, 2 there is no flange for engagement by the shoulders I I6.

The ash flight I03 on the conveyor screw 5 terminates short of the center of ash output opening I06 but within the nearest portion 2 of the edge thereof. The conveyor screw 5 also has a reverse ash flight III starting beyond the center of the ash output opening I06 but within the furthest portion y'of'the edge thereof. The adjacent ends of the ash fiight I03 and reverse ash flight II! are in axial alignment and are joined by a par allel bar IIS parallel to the axis of the conveyor screw 5, this bar II8 being secured to the ends of the adjacent flights and to the shaft portion of the conveyor screw. Parallel bar H8 is centered under the ash output opening I06 and extends across a substantial portion thereof.

In operation, the ash disposal unit 2 conveys the ash from under the burner unit I to under the ash can I08 by means of the ash flight I03 on the conveyor screw 5. The ash is then forced upwardly through the ash output opening I06 and up through the bottom of the ash can I08 by the action of ash flight I06, reverse ash flight I I1 and parallel bar II8 on conveyor screw 5, this upwardly forcing action at the same time desirably altering the physical characteristics of the ash so as to substantially reduce its bulk or, expressed in another fashion, to increase the specific gravity of the ash so that a given bulk weighs substantially more after having passed through the ash disposal unit than it otherwise would. This may be shown by comparing the weight of a given bulk of ash forced up into ash can I08 with the same bulk of ash which may be discharged through an opening in the bottom of the conveyor pipe '4 down into ash cans placed in a suitable recess below the fioor level. The ash forced up into the ash can I 08 as described weighs about 1.6 to 2 times (and under some circumstances up to nearly 3 times) as much as the same volume of ash discharged into the cans under the floor level.

It is observed, in looking down on to of the ash output opening I06 during operation of the stoker, that the ash wells up through the ash output opening I06 and the ash output tube I01 into the bottom of the ash can I08, and then the ash subsides, the Welling up and subsiding occurring alternately and in synchronism with the rotation of the conveyor screw 5. In other words, a complete cycle of Welling up and subsiding coincides with one revolution of the parallel ash bar II8 about the axis of conveyor screw 5. The subsidances are less than the Welling up of the ash for there is an incremental building up of the ash in the can I08. This occurs until the ash can I08 is full.

It is also observed that the ash which is forced up into ash can I08 through its bottom is much finer than the ash which drops down into the top of the ash can, as described, some of the ash being so fine as to be powdery-like. Generally, the ash is composed of fine particles of free ash and very small particles of granular clinkers not in excess in size of a pea. There may also be a small amount of coke in particles not exceeding one-half inch in size.

Apparently the upward forcing of the ash into 7 the ash can through its bottom is accompanied by a disintegration of the ash into finer particles and elimination of the air spaces in the ash itself, this disintegration apparently being due to the pressures to which the ash is subjected in the region of the ash output opening I06.

It is to be noted that this upward forcing of the ash into the ash can through its bottom automatically provides a seal of ash preventing the leakage of air from the furnace room and the top of the ash can I08 into ash chamber 46 of the burner unit I. Thus, although the ash in the conveyor pipe 4 in the region of the burner unit I does not fill the pipe, and although the ash can I08 may be empty or nearly so, the conveyor pipe 4 in the region of the ash output opening I06 is completely filled with ash, with 4 much of this ash closely compacted. As a result air cannot pass from the ash can I08 down through the opening I06 into the top portion of conveyor pipe 4 and thence up into the ash chamber 46. As any air which leaks into ash chamber 46 affects the combustion of the fuel above grate 41 and counteracts the control over this combustion afforded by the air passing from the air tube I4 through the tuyere openings 31,

this air seal action of the ash disposal unit 2 is particularly desirable.

The ash can I 08 is provided with a sliding gate I2I at its bottom for closing the ash can opening I09 to prevent the ash from leaking out of the can during and after its removal from the ash can support III. This gate is secured to a vertical gate shaft I22, as by Welding, and the lower end of shaft I22 is rotatably secured to the ash can bottom III), as by passing through an opening therein and having a washer welded to the gate shaft below the can bottom. The gate shaft I22 extends up to the top of the can, where it passes through an opening in cross member I23 which is secured to the tops of the two long sides I24 of the can. Just above this cross member I23 the gate shaft I22 is provided with a handle I25 transverse to the shaft I22. The bottom I I0 of the can is provided with gate stops I26 for the open and closed positions of the gate and the front edge of the gate is pref erably ground to a sharp edge to facilitate the closure of the gate when the can is full of ashes;

The ash can I08 is rectangular in plan view,

with the cross member I23 and gate shaft I22 at the midpoint between the ends of the long sides I24. Cross member I23 thus serves as a handle for lifting the ash can, and gate operating handle I25 is aligned with this cross member I23 when the gate is closed so that the two handles are included within the grasp of the hand of the person lifting and removing the ash can, with the result that the ash can gate is not accidentally moved from closed position during removal of the can.

The ash can I08 is held in position on the ash can support III by the guide walls I21 thereon extending around the two long and one of the two short sides thereof. The bottom I08 of the ash can extends a short distance out wardly beyond the short side I28 of the can nearest the opening I09 therein, this extension forming a flange I29. A portion of the guide wall I21 engaged by this flange I29 is provided within a lip I30 extending over the top of the flange I29 so as to prevent tipping of the can. In this connection it is to be noted that the can extends over beyond the short side of the ash table support which does not have a guide wall I21.

In removing a full ash can I08 from its support I IT the gate operating handle I25 is first rotated to move the ash can flange I29 from under the lip I 30. The ash can may now be removed and laid aside for emptying and an empty ash can 1 put back in place of the full one.

One end of gate operating handle I25 preferably extends beyond one side I24 of the ash can when the handle is in gate-closed position (see A cover (not shown) is provided which Fig. 6).

5,: fits over the ash can when the latter is in place on the support III. This projecting end of handle I25 prevents the replacement of this cover over the can when the ash can gate is in closed position. Thus, this serves to insure the opening of the ash can gate "after an empty can is put in place. The conveyor pipe 4 is rovided with an ash return. opening I3I at the top smaller than the ash output opening I06 and beyondthe same so that the ash return opening I3I is above the reverse ash flightII'l. A spout I32 formed on the ash can support III fits into'the ash return opening I31, this spout communicating with the annular portion I33 of the ash can support III. That part of this annular portion II3 which is not formed into pockets II4"is formed into a canalaround the ash output tube IIiI to collect any ash that may spill over the top of the tube I01, as when a can is removed while the stoker,

and thus conveyor screw 5, is in operation;

When the ash in this canal rises to the level of the ash can support I I I, the ash in the canal may be pushed around to the spout I32 so that it drops down through the ash return opening I3I into the conveyor pipe 4. The reverse ash flight II I then moves this ash over into the mass of ash under ash output opening I06, where it joins the ash being moved up into the ash can.

Preferably the parallel bar H8, the reverse ash flight II! and a corresponding length of ash flight I03 are separable from the remainder of the conveyor screw 5 so as to form a removable ash tip portion for the conveyor screw. This is conveniently effected by mounting these parts on a sleeve I34 which fits over the tubular shaft portion I35 of conveyor screw 5 and is secured thereto by the bolts I36. This ash tip portion may then be readily specially treated to withstand the wear to which it is subjected and may also be replaced, if necessary, without replacing the entire conveyor screw 5.

The specific ash container IIl8 shown in the drawings is 13" high, 15" long and 9" wide, the opening at the bottom being 35%" in diameter. This corresponds to a capacity of the order of 1 cubic foot with a horizontal cross section of 1 square foot, the bottom opening being spaced from the side walls and having its longest dimension less than half the minimum distance between the inner side surfaces of said walls. This leaves a ledge around the opening, the minimum dimension of which is greater than half the longest dimension of said opening.

The size of ash can I08 may be increased in length and width, if desired, without impairing the operation of the ash disposal unit. The height of ash can I03 is preferably not materially increased from the height stated when the ash disposal unit is constructed as shown, for 1 as the ash can height is increased there develops a tendency for the can to be pushed upwardly after the ash has reached a certain height.

The ash disposal unit 2 is simple, easy and inexpensive to make and install and provides a means of disposing of the ashes which is clean, rugged and requires attention very infrequently. Materially contributing to the infrequent attention is the fact that the ashes are substantially reduced in bulk by the ash disposal unit, so that it requires a relatively long time to fill the ash can.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 350,500, filed August 3, 1940, now

6 Letters Patent ,'No. 2,370,246, of February: 27, 1945. i

- We. claim:

1. A container of the class described adapted to be positioned adjacent a supply outlet throughwhich granular material is intermittently forced upward comprising a portable can havin surrounding vertically extending inner side surfaces.

for retention ofmaterial and a bottom extending inward from said side surfaces in all directions and having an openin adapted to receive granular material upward from below through said outlet, said opening having its longest dimension less than half the minimum. distance betweensaid inner side surfaces and spaced from all of said surfaces to leave the surrounding portion of said bottom as a ledge retaining successive increments of the said material intermittently passing upward through said opening, and a gate slidably mounted on the bottom of the can to open and close the bottom opening therein and with an operating handle positioned at the 'top of the can and connected. to the gate and adapted to move the sandeto closed position when the can is full of material, and a transverse handle member extending across the top of the can parallel to said operating handle in closed position thereof so that both the operating handle and the handle member may be grasped together by the hand of the user.

2. A container of the class described adapted to be positioned adjacent a supply outlet through upward comprising a portable can having surrounding vertically extending inner side surfaces for retention of material and a bottom extending inward from said side surfaces in all directions and having an opening adapted to receive granular material upward from below through said outlet, said opening having its longest dimension less than half the minimum distance between said inner side surfaces and spaced from all of said surfaces to leave the surrounding portion of said bottom as a ledge retaining successive increments of the said material intermittently passing upward throughsaid opening, and a gate slidably mounted on the bottom of the can to open and close the bottom opening therein and with an operating handle positioned at the top of the can and connected to the gate and adapted to move the same to closed position when the can is full of material, and'a transverse handle member extending across the top of the can parallel to said operating handle in closed position thereof so that both the operating handle and the handle member may be grasped together by the hand of the user, said operatin handle having one end extending beyond the side of the can in closed position of the gate so as to require the gate to be opened before positioning of a cover on the can.

3. A container of the class described having a capacity of the order of one cubic foot and of the order of one square foot in horizontal cross section and adapted to be positioned adjacent a supply outlet through which granular material is intermittently forced upward comprising a structime having surrounding vertically extending in-- nor side surfaces for retention of material as it is fed upward through said supply and a bottom extending inward from said side surfaces in all directions and having an opening adapted to re ceive said granular material upward from below through said outlet, said opening having its longest dimension less than half the minimum distancebetween said inner side surfaces and spacedof-the container structure and clear of the edges 7 of the opening therein in open position of the gate and closely fitting over all of said edges of the opening in closed position of the gate to open and close over said entire bottom opening, said gate being entirely Within the sides of said 0011- tainer in both open and close positions and with an operatin handle positioned at the top of the can'and connected to the gate and adapted to slide the'same overthe upper edges of said opening to closed position when the can is full of material. 1 FRED G. JULYAN.

WILLIAM M. SCHWEICKART.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: I

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 743,269 Godin Nov. 3, 1903 879,144 Chamberlin Feb. 18, 1908 931,845 Comins Aug. 24, 1909 1,115,375 Bachowski et a1. Oct. 27, 1914 1,194,907 Watson Aug. 15, 1916 1,422,064 Kane July 4, 1922 1,867,080 Kraft. July 12, 1932 2,069,940 Burton Feb. 9, 1937 2,306,189 Schweickart et a1. Dec. 22, 1942 2,321,389 Julyan et a1 June 8, 1943 2,370,246 Julyan et a1 Feb. 27, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date France Apr. 1, 1939 

